CHP VISITED FENER GREEK, TURKISH ARMENIAN PATRIARCHIES

Hurriyet Daily News
May 11 2011
Turkey

The Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Deputy President, Osman Koruturk
pay a visit to Fener Greek and Armenian patriarchies of Turkey. His
visit to Armenian Patriarchy of Turkey took longer than anticipated. On
the matter of the Armenian deputy who had declared candidacy from CHP
yet been excluded out of the list, Koruturk said, ‘We do not separate
people according to their ethnic identities, 4,300 people applied’

The main opposition reaches out to minorities ahead of elections.

The Republican People’s Party, or CHP, Deputy President and Foreign
Politics Representative Osman Koruturk and General Secretary Bihlun
Tamaylıgil paid a visit to Fener Greek Patriarchy and the Armenian
Patriarchy of Turkey on Monday.

While the officials’ visit to Fener Greek Patriarchy took half an hour,
their visit to the Armenians Patriarchy of Turkey took approximately
an hour and half. They were met by the Acting Patriarch Archishop
Aram AteÅ~_yan at the Turkish Armenian Patriarchy and the meeting
was held closed to the press.

Answering the questions of Hurriyet Daily News after the meeting,
Koruturk touching upon the incidents of 1915, said: “Both of the sides
experienced agonies, it would be unjust to say they are one-sided. As
two rival parties the CHP, and Justice and Development Party, or
AKP, we brought on the agenda the proposal of establishing a history
commission. Nevertheless, the proposal was not approved in Armenia.”

Answering the question why Arev Cebeci putting candidacy from CHP on
behalf of the Armenian community could not be elected, Koruturk said
they do not separate people according to their identities. “More
than 4,300 people applied and 550 of them won. We do not have an
Armenian deputy in Parliament on behalf of our party. However, we
have Armenian-origin citizens taking positions in the administration
of CHP and local levels.”

Explaining why the visit to the Armenian Patriarchy of Turkey took
a longer span of time, Koruturk said: “They had a long agenda
to discuss. We have comprehensive projects, family insurance,
agriculture projects and economic projects. These projects would
change the country throughout.”

Saying that minorities are crucial for CHP, Koruturk said they stand
by all of the rights recognized to minorities within the frame of
Lozan Treaty.

One of the presidents of Istanbul Armenian Foundation Bedros
Marzubanyan showing at the meeting said the recent statements of
CHP leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu upset the Armenian community. “Some
people said Kılıcdaroglu’s mother is an Armenian from Dersim and
he tried to prove his mother is not an Armenian. I would like to ask
him whether being an Armenian is really such a bad thing after all.”

Despite that they are welcome as the door is open to everybody, said
Marzubanyan. “CHP is the closest rival of the government. Therefore,
learning their opinions is to our advantage,” he said.

“There should have been at least two Armenian parliamentarians both
in government and in the opposition. It is said on each occasion
Turkey is a mosaic. If the parliament is a place where this mosaic
is represented, and that is the case, as far as I know, then the
pieces missing from the mosaic must be completed. We have deputy
mayors and village headmen, but now we want to send a representative
to parliament,” said Marzubanyan, who highlighted the fact that the
50,000-strong Armenians in Turkey did not have a single representative
in parliament.

Another participant in the meeting, Apik Ozfırıncı, said the visit
was part of the election campaign in Turkey and the patriarchate had
demonstrated its hospitality.

“As we stated earlier, we listen to both sides and our doors are wide
open to both of them. The decision will undoubtedly stem from the
ballot box,” said Hrant HasbaÅ~_yan whose affinity with the ruling
AKP is well known due to the Turkish-Armenian community’s gains on
issues relating to minority foundations.

Bedros Å~^irinoglu, the president of the Yedikule Surp Pırgic Hospital
Foundation, which ranks in second place in the protocol following the
patriarchate, did not attend the meeting. Å~^irinoglu, who is also
known for his disposition toward the AKP, had told Daily News in a
previous interview that he was ready to serve as a parliamentarian,
if he was offered a position.